Boston, MA - April 19: Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora in the sixth inning. The Red Sox played the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park on April 19, 2026. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
We talk a lot about the supposed value of GMs being able to hire their own manager. Neither Chaim Bloom, nor Craig Breslow got that opportunity, as Alex Cora was seemingly foisted upon both by ownership. And even as he’s fired Cora, Breslow still hasn’t really gotten that opportunity, as Chad Tracy predates his Red Sox tenure. So, is that why the interim tag hasn’t yet been removed from Tracy? “I think he’s been good for the team and a great manager so far. He’s been there for us,” said Ceddanne Rafaela. “He’s a great person; that’s first. I think he gave everybody the freedom to play the game and do what they needed to do. He cares about us and not just what we do on the field.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Meanwhile, Alex Cora is still working through the emotions of his firing, recently saying on a podcast that he has three different competing emotions about how it went down. “I’ll say it again, it’s three different feelings: happy for my family, upset that they didn’t let me finish the job and honestly, relieved I don’t have to go through scouting reports and the matrix and talk to the media twice a day and live in the bubble of, ‘We have to do this.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
Regardless of what you think of either Tracy or Cora, in baseball no manager is successful without production from the players on the field. The Sox have gotten plenty of that from Wilyer Abreu this season, and he was just honored with his second American League Player of the Week award. (Aiden Stepansky, MLB.com)
But last week was last week. This week, the Red Sox find themselves on a three-game losing streak during which they haven’t hit a single home run. And last night’s loss featuring strong pitching but a languid lineup looked early similar to the way they were losing games at the beginning of the year. (Rob Bradford, WEEI)
In that sense, Adley Rutschman is returning to action at the perfect time. “I miss playing,” Rutschman said. “I want to be out there, and to be able to go out and play baseball is such a blessing. And I think you realize that when you’re on the IL and you’re not able to play it. For me, it’s just excitement. This team’s rolling. This locker room, the guys are really tight, as you can tell. So I’m just excited to be a part of it.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
And hopefully Rutschman will be soon followed by Roman Anthony, who recently started hitting off a pitching machine. “All things are positive,” said Chad Tracy. “Let him keep taking steps, temper expectations until he crosses and checks all these boxes, then we’ll see when we can get him here.” (Daniel Yanofsky, NESN)
With over 40 games remaining in the MLB season, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the best years for Japanese-born hitters — and it’s being led by a pair of rookies.
USA TODAY analyzed home run data for Japanese-born players to uncover the single seasons with the most homers hit by such players.
Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox has hit 26 home runs in his first MLB season so far. That is tied for the ninth-best home run season by a Japanese-born player.
Fellow rookie Kazuma Okamoto of Toronto is two home runs back with 24. Both players have hit more homers than any other Japanese-born rookie, eclipsing the 22-homer season Shohei Ohtani had in 2018.
It’s also worth noting that Ohtani is at 26 homers, too, although he is well past being a rookie in his ninth MLB season.
Murakami is on pace to hit 40 home runs if he maintains his current pace and plays in all 45 of the White Sox’s remaining games. A 40-home run year would rank as the fifth-highest single-season total by a Japanese-born MLB player, behind four Ohtani seasons.
Okamoto, meanwhile, is on pace for 33, which would be near Ohtani’s 34-homer season in 2022.
Ohtani is between Murakami and Okamoto with a projected home run total of 36.
Should Murakami, Okamoto and Ohtani all hit 30-plus home runs, it’ll be the first season that three Japanese-born players have hit 30 or more home runs in a single MLB season.
Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki became the first pair to do so in the same season in 2025. Suzuki has 19 homers for the Chicago Cubs this season and is projected to finish with 27.
Aside from Ohtani and Suzuki, only one other Japanese player has hit more than 30 homers in a single season: Hideki Matsui, who hit 31 for the New York Yankees in 2004.
Methodology: Home run data from Stathead and Baseball-Reference. Ages are calculated as of June 30 for the given season. 2026 totals are through August 10. Projections use each player’s current home-run rate per game and assume he appears in every remaining team game.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 28: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians during game one of a doubleheader at Great American Ball Park on July 28, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Reds fans and fans across the country.
The most recent start from Cincinnati Reds ace Chase Burns was a uniquely poor one. He yielded 5 ER and 6 H with a trio of walks in just 5.1 IP, exiting earlier than anyone would have liked in an eventual 8-2 loss to the Washington Nationals that may just have been the final nail in the coffin for the 2026 Reds club.
As you can see from the fine folks at FanGraphs, the average fastball velocities in his starts has also begun to decline over the course of the season, something that’s not at all uncommon for a young pitcher who’s being tasked with throwing more innings this year than he ever has before.
To date, Burns has fired 124.0 IP for the Reds, already topping the 109.1 IP he threw across all levels of professional ball last year. That in itself eclipsed the 100.0 IP mark he logged in his 2024 season with Wake Forest at the collegiate level, as Burns – who was oft-used as a reliever at Tennessee prior to transferring to Wake for his senior year – simply hasn’t ever had a huge workload put on his prized right arm.
The Reds, obviously, hope that changes over the course of the long-term contract Burns signed earlier this season. But in a year where they’re mired in last place and effectively out of a playoff spot, just how far should the Reds let him go in 2026?
Obviously, they don’t want to push him too far in a lost year. On the other hand, they want him to build up enough IP this year so that he can build on that mark next year, and cutting his 2026 season too short could end up with a ripple effect in 2027, too.
There’s also the issue with the Reds simply needing someone, anyone to soak up IP between now and the end of the year. Hunter Greene is hurt, again, and Nick Lodolo is only just now getting back (with a completely different grip on his breaking pitches).
What say you? At what innings threshold should the Reds look to limit their burgeoning ace this year?
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
Who had the best and worst offseason in the Atlantic Division?
28. Melvin Novotny - LW (Muskegon - USHL)
The Sabres had a trio of seventh-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, and with the first pick (195th overall) they selected left winger Melvin Novotny. The 19-year-old had a breakout season in the SHL junior system, scoring 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in 41 games for Leksands IF, and also played for Sweden at the World Junior under-18s.
Instead of following the usual path toward playing in the SHL, Novotny headed to North America to play with Muskegon in the USHL and is committed to playing for U.Mass (Amherst) in 2026. His season with the Lumberjacks was extremely encouraging, as the 6’1”, 185 lb. winger scored over a point-per-game (22 goals, 35 assists in 48 games)
Another positive sign was Novotny’s appearance for Sweden at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, ON last month. He played primarily fourth line duty throughout the tournament, but Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis indicated that he was one of Tre Kronor’s most noticeable forwards, showing flashes of skill and hockey IQ, and he believes he could put up great numbers in the NCAA.
Do you have an extra $2,000 lying around or burning a hole in your pocket?
\n
If you do and you want to enjoy either the Philadelphia 76ers or the New York Knicks, you will have to pay at least that much to get inside Madison Square Garden when those teams open the 2026-27 regular season.
\n
The NBA released part of its regular season schedule this week, and the world champion Knicks, featuring NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, will receive their championship rings and get a banner raised to the rafters of the "World's Most Famous Arena" when the visiting 76ers, featuring LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, come calling on Oct. 20.
\n
Despite the roster turnover, the 76ers are still salty after New York humiliated them on the way to a four-game series sweep in the second round on their way to breaking a 53-year-old championship drought.
According to TickPick, the get-in price for the season opener is currently at $1,999. For that price, you will get the privilege of sitting nowhere near Celebrity Row, but in Section 400, where you can squint your eyes to enjoy four quarters of basketball and, on your way out of the arena, you can look through the large windows to watch people file in and out of Penn Station. A few rows behind courtside, two tickets are listed at $166,109 each.
\n
By comparison, for New York's Game 3 of the NBA Finals at MSG against the San Antonio Spurs, tickets were hovering around $8,000 on the secondary market.
\n
At Vivid Seats, the price is just as steep, where sitting in the same section will set you back at least $2,092, and for the average price of a used car, you can sit where you can at least see the jersey numbers on the players.
The Nationals were the Cubs’ first regular season opponent this year, way back in March. The Nats took two of three at Wrigley Field.
Much has changed for both teams since then. The Cubs have solidified their claim on a postseason spot and could still win a division title. After playing over .500 for quite some time, the Nats had a selloff at the Trade Deadline.
For more on the Nationals, here’s Sam Sallick, manager of our SB Nation Nationals site Federal Baseball.
The Nats are a very different team to the one that played the Cubs on Opening Day. Only two members of the bullpen remain and many fixtures of the lineup are now gone. Joey Wiemer, who dominated the Cubs to start the season, has now gone, with his rise and fall taking place over the course of six weeks.
However, the Nats remain on the outskirts of the playoff race. These last couple weeks have been a rollercoaster though. After beating the Diamondbacks in a series, they got within one game of a playoff spot and were over .500. Shortly after that, they hit a snag, losing seven in a row and selling at the deadline.
This past weekend though, the Nats got back into the fight by sweeping the Reds. The Nats lost the likes of Luis Garcia Jr., Curtis Mead and Foster Griffin at the deadline. However, a lot of the returns they received were made with the idea of helping the team in the near future.
The Nats bullpen has been a well publicized disaster, but with some new faces, they looked great against the Reds. Yovanny Cruz, Will Dion and Jake Bird all came over in deadline trades and have looked good in a Nats uniform. Nats POBO Paul Toboni has been searching for bullpen answers all season, but this is the best they have looked all year.
Usually, losing the NL leader in slugging would be a huge blow to the offense. However, rookie Abimelec Ortiz has looked very good stepping into Luis Garcia’s shoes. Andres Chaparro has also stepped up making the first base platoon very dangerous.
There is one dangerous name the Cubs will avoid this week. James Wood is on the IL with a mild oblique strain. He is the most fearsome piece in this elite Nats offense. However, this offense is more than just Wood. CJ Abrams has also been tremendous and there are other hot bats such as Daylen Lile and the resurgent Keibert Ruiz.
On the pitching side, you are likely to see the debut of Jackson Kent, the Nats top left handed pitching prospect. He is a funky lefty with an average heater, a great changeup, solid breaking balls and good command. Kent is someone the Nats are very high on.
Right after the deadline, it looked like the Nats might have gone in a tailspin. However, they just got their first sweep since April and are riding high. It will be interesting to see how the surprising Nats matchup with a veteran laden Cubs team.
Fun facts
This is the first time the Cubs will play at Washington immediately after having played at Kansas City. Earlier this season, they went from Cleveland to Tampa and from Baltimore to Cincinnati for the first times. Next month, they will make their first trip from Miami to Milwaukee.
The Cubs have won two more games than they have lost at Washington, 35-33, since the former Montreal Expos relocated to the nation’s capital in 2005. The Cubs also were 49-33 against two 19th Century NL teams in Washington, for a total record of 84-66.
Last year, the Cubs won two of three at Washington. They swept three in 2024. They last were swept at Nationals Park in 2019. They split four games in 2021, won two of three in 2022 and went 1-3 in 2023.
Wednesday: David Peterson, LHP (3-1, 4.03 ERA, 1.237 WHIP, 4.51 FIP in seven starts with Cubs; 6-7, 5.35 ERA, 1.500 WHIP, 4.08 FIP in 23 games overall) vs. Miles Mikolas, RHP (3-9, 5.89 ERA, 1.407 WHIP, 5.72 FIP)
Thursday: Kevin Gausman, RHP (1-0, 2.57 ERA, 0.714 WHIP, 4.23 FIP in one start with Cubs; 6-10, 4.29 ERA, 1.258 WHIP, 3.53 FIP in 24 starts overall) vs. Cade Cavalli, RHP (9-5, 3.57 ERA, 1.298 WHIP, 3.60 FIP)
Times & TV channels
Tuesday: 5:45 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Wednesday: 5:45 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Thursday: 3:05 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
The Nats lead MLB in runs — but as noted by Sam Sallick above, two of the guys who helped lead them to that (Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead) have been traded and another (James Wood) is on the IL. The Nats have also allowed the third-most runs in MLB and the Cubs are second to them in runs scored.
All that adds up, I think, to a Cubs series win, two of three, and an outside chance of a sweep.
Up next
The Cubs return to Wrigley Field to host the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-game series beginning Friday afternoon.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Fans cheer as Ozzie Albies #1 of Atlanta Braves hits a home run during the first inning during the season opener against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, any new Battery Power readers retained from the Great Trade Deadline Site Surge of 2026! We hope you enjoy(ed) your time with this great community as we wind down on a memorable regular reason and that you stick around. Our regulars are some of the best baseball fans in the league.
The week following the trade deadline had some highs (back-to-back sweeps, an eight game winning streak) and lows (stumbling against both teams from New York) that have prompted some interesting discussion in our Feed. Here’s a sampling of what y’all have been cooking:
October surprise(s)?
Barring any waiver wire moves, the Braves are basically set with who they’re rolling with to hopefully make a deep postseason run. So it’s time for predictions: which guy will be the one to be the most impactful? Who will we hail as a legend for their contributions for years to come?
AJ Smith-Shawver is a candidate once he’s back up from Triple-A, where he’s polishing off the rust and working on that later-inning stamina.
On that note, a potential Game 3 starter might just be sub-40 miles away…
Other candidates: a spiteful Grant Holmes? Or maybe some current underperformers…
Rotation revamp
Of course, the biggest topic of conversation remains our starting pitching. Crumbs from sports writers have indicated the Braves made the pushes and called the phones for [insert your preferred SP here], but nothing worked out. So now what do we do, at least for the rest of the month or regular season?
A defense-based drafting
The prompt by the ever-insightful clmj1:
But of course on the flip side… why defend when hit dingers?
Record with Ronald
Superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. has largely been in the two-hole since his return from the IL and still steadily contributing despite a continued wOBA underperformance. It might feel like he hasn’t made much of a difference, but someone looked into the numbers, and…
While it may feel like the odds (read: the umpires) are against the Braves, we can always count on you all sharing your insights, articles, prospect questions, and so much more with us in our comments and in the Feed. You are the straw that stirs the Battery Power cocktail, and we appreciate you. Here’s to more hot takes!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 08: George Lombard Jr. #96 of the New York Yankees in action during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium on August 08, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I don’t want to spill too much ink on the sorry state of the Yankees offense at the risk of sounding like a broken record. Instead, let’s focus on the positives they have provided us in recent days, namely an improbable series win over the Braves. As much as the pitching largely carried the day, a certain young shortstop provided a handful of bright sparks on either side of the ball, and so George Lombard Jr. earns his first appearance on At-bat of the Week.
We join Lombard leading off the bottom of the seventh of the middle game against the Braves on Saturday. The Yankees are clinging to a 3-2 lead courtesy of a Spencer Jones RBI single in the second and RBI triple in the fifth, Austin Wells then driving him home with a double. Lombard enters this AB having struck out and drawn a walk against Chris Sale, the latter result requiring a pair of impressive, successful ABS challenges. However, Lombard now faces the hard-throwing righty reliever Victor Mederos, a very different look from the sidearming southpaw Sale.
Mederos starts Lombard with a first pitch sinker at 96 looking to tie the hitter up on the inner half.
This is a really good take from Lombard. The sinker looks like a strike on the upper ledge of the strike zone for much of its path toward home. It exits Mederos’ hand aimed pretty centrally, yet Lombard is able to diagnose it immediately as a fastball and understands that the foot-and-a-half of arm side run will carry it all the way off the plate and out of the zone inside for a ball.
That was a pretty good pitch that Mederos just threw, so it makes sense that he sticks with the inside sinker as it’s a pitch that can really eat up a hitter when buried in on the hands.
This is exactly why we don’t bunt unless it is absolutely necessary. When you’ve got a reliever coming in and throwing upper-90s, a middle-middle sinker in a 1-0 count might be the best pitch you’re gonna get to hit. Not only did Lombard miss a golden pitch to hit, but he lost his count leverage without making the pitcher work for it. Yes, I understand the third baseman was playing back and the Yankees are struggling for base runners at the moment, but Lombard was brought up to swing the bat (and for his glove) and bunting in this spot amounted to giving away a pitch.
Now that Mederos has shown Lombard a pair of fastballs that break toward him, he switches to a cutter breaking away from the batter, hoping he can get him to chase something off the plate outside should he mistakenly assume it is another sinker breaking in.
Mederos yanks this pitch way out of the zone, the pitch passing through the lefty batter’s box and off the catcher’s mitt to the backstop. It’s one of the easier takes Lombard will get, though it was still informative for him to see a fastball that breaks in the opposite direction from the first two he saw.
After missing so wildly with that cutter, Mederos breaks out his third different fastball of the encounter, the four-seamer. His four-seamer breaks a little less down and a little less arm-side than his sinker, but the two pitch types otherwise aren’t all that distinguishable from each other.
Mederos nails the outside edge with this 97 mph heater. He’s partially able to catch Lombard looking by sequencing this pitch directly following a fastball that breaks glove-side, this pitch starting well off the plate away before tailing back into the zone, but mostly it’s just a well-executed fastball that Lombard is more than justified to watch for a called strike.
Mederos now tries to leverage that called strike on the outside edge by sequencing a cutter that, as we mentioned, moves in the opposite lateral direction as his sinker and four-seamer. Lombard just watched a pitch that looked like a ball away end up as a called strike on the outside edge, so he effectively has to protect against anything that starts aimed away. This should make him susceptible to chasing a pitch that breaks glove-side.
Instead, Mederos grooves this cutter up and out over the plate. It doesn’t have any of the cut of the first one he threw and flies straight as an arrow toward home. Lombard fires a beautiful swing lining this pitch into the seats in right for a leadoff home run to give the Yankees an invaluable late insurance run that they would need by the time the final out was recorded. I’ll be honest, I did not realize Lombard had opposite field home run power, short porch or not. However, I love his approach, staying behind the baseball and allowing the velocity on the pitch to supply the power off the bat, knowing that with solid contact in the air, there’s always a chance to leave the yard in right.
Here’s the full sequence:
Without getting ahead of ourselves from a five-game sample, it is all the same assuring that Lombard has not looked overmatched facing big league pitching according to the eye test. We were always told that the defense was MLB-ready and indeed Lombard already looks way more rangy and self-assured at short than Anthony Volpe. However, I was not expecting him to have such an immediate impact with the bat. The power is certainly a welcome surprise, but it’s his advanced pitch recognition and plate discipline that have really caught the eye and could be the keys to maintaining this form down the stretch.
The Mets emerged from the Aug. 3 trade deadline having dealt roughly one-third of their active roster. Since then, they have looked and played like a new team, which is not a surprise since they basically are a new team.
In the week-plus since trading four key members of their bullpen, two starting pitchers, and a valuable outfielder, the Mets have gone 6-1. Along the way, they have swept a road series from one playoff contender (the Guardians), took a road series from a fringe contender (the Pirates) and then snagged the opening game at Truist Park from a Braves team that is leading the NL East -- clinching the season series over Atlanta in the process.
While scoring 50 runs during this seven-game stretch, the Mets have looked looser on the field and tighter with each other, which could simply be the result of all the pressure now being off -- as if some kind of dam broke and all the bad vibes floated away.
For many, the obvious question at this point would be "where was this from the Mets in June and July when their season slipped away?"
That's fair.
But there is literally nothing that can be done about that now. New York's season was derailed by a 12-game losing streak in April, and they couldn't revive it in the ensuing months.
The result is that the Mets enter play on Tuesday with a record of 53-67, needing a miracle to get back to anything even resembling a playoff race. However, that doesn't mean how they're playing now is unimportant, given the impact it could have on how next season's roster looks.
Senga, again primarily featuring his four-seam fastball (which topped out at 100 mph) and forkball, easily shut the door on Atlanta.
In the three-game sample size since becoming a high-leverage reliever, Senga has yet to allow a hit, firing three scoreless innings while walking two and striking out four.
If Senga continues to adapt well to the rigors of this role, the Mets might have taken a potential DFA candidate and turned him into a legitimate late-inning weapon for 2027 -- which would in turn make the recent trades of Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazoban look less harmful to New York's hopes next season. A 2027 bullpen with Senga and Williams as setup options in front of a lockdown closer (such as pending free agent Adrian Morejon) would be formidable.
About that potential bullpen ... the Mets also have some other possible answers auditioning for a role in it, including rookie left-hander Nate Lavender (who has been tremendous in a small sample and whose ability to miss bats has translated), the hard-throwing Dedniel Núñez (rounding back into form after Tommy John surgery), and jumping Jefry Yan (who may need to limit his penchant for walks in order to stick).
There have been other nice stories, too, including the emergence of 30-year-old Jared Young as a serious option going forward.
Young, who signed with New York after the 2024 season after playing 22 combined games for the Cubs in 2022 and 2023, played just 22 games last year due in part to a torn meniscus.
In 72 games this season, Young has been a steady lineup presence, slashing .262/.338/.436 (.773 OPS, 115 OPS+) while playing primarily first base and also getting time at DH and both corner outfield spots. Young's hard hit rate this season is among the best in baseball, as is his ability to make contact (he has struck out just 43 times).
New York Mets left fielder Jared Young (29) watches his solo home run against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning at Citi Field / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
At the very least, it seems that Young has earned a place on next year's team. Springboarding off that, the question of who will play first base regularly for the Mets next season brings us to the fact that they're actually in pretty strong shape elsewhere on the diamond. Paradoxically, they're also in a bit of a tough spot, since the construction of their roster and relatively unappealing free agent crop this offseason could make finding impact bats at first base and/or DH a challenge.
In a world where Bo Bichette doesn't opt out of his contract after the season, the Mets appear to be set at seven of their nine lineup spots for 2027.
Francisco Alvarez at catcher, Francisco Lindor at shortstop, Bichette at third base, Juan Soto in left field, A.J. Ewing in center field, Carson Benge in right field, and Marcus Semien at second base.
Of those seven players, all of them profile as above average regulars except Semien. But Semien has been better since returning from the IL (an .814 OPS and smoother defense in 19 games since), played through a hip injury before that IL stint, and has two years and $46 million left on his contract. So it's difficult to envision a scenario where he isn't the starting second baseman when next season starts.
Jorge Polanco is another story entirely, and someone whose presence the Mets will need to work around while looking to add some kind of impact at first base and/or DH this offseason.
When it comes to the starting rotation for next season, New York has a good foundation to build from.
In a loose way, perhaps it's fair to view Nolan McLean as a No.2, Christian Scott as a No. 4, and the rejuvenated Sean Manaea as a No. 5.
Rookie Zac Thornton has also thrown his name in the mix with his composure and performance over his first seven big league starts.
Jul 16, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott (45) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
If McLean can harness his arsenal a bit better, he has the stuff to be an ace. Scott, who has struck out 11.3 batters per nine as he shakes off the rust following Tommy John surgery, is missing bats at a prodigious rate. Manaea, who was relegated to the bullpen earlier this season, has regained his velocity and effectiveness, posting a 3.50 ERA in 61.2 innings over 11 starts since returning to the rotation on June 13. So again, the foundation is there.
If the Mets want to get a perfect No. 1 and No. 3, they can turn to the free agent market for Tarik Skubal and the recently-traded Clay Holmes. Skubal is one of the best pitchers in the sport, and the Holmes is a proven New York performer with less mileage on his arm than pretty much any other starting pitcher his age. And neither of them will be attached to a qualifying offer.
In order to land Skubal, the Mets would have to outbid the competition (which they can obviously do), and Stearns will have to adjust his philosophy when it comes to long-term deals for pitchers over 30 (which he should do). Skubal returning to the Dodgers seems logical, but Los Angeles is absolutely loaded when it comes to starting pitching. So it's fair to wonder whether they'll pony up what it takes to keep him.
As the Mets were going through the worst of it this season, there were some who predicted a downturn for them that lasted multiple seasons, though that never made much sense -- not with the amount of injury and underperformance that was mixed in when the season slipped away. Even when things were going completely haywire, this felt like an isolated nightmare.
Beyond that, there's too much randomness and variance from year-to-year to write off pretty much any MLB team following a down season -- especially one with the resources the Mets have.
For recent examples of quick turnarounds, look at the 2013 World Series champion Red Sox (finished 69-93 in 2012), the 2023 World Series champion Rangers (finished 68-94 in 2022, and the 2026 White Sox (currently leading the AL Central with a 61-56 record after finishing 60-102 in 2025).
With an eye on retooling and contending right away in 2027, the remainder of this season has become an important evaluation period for New York. There are core members of the team whose status going forward is obviously not in doubt, but there are others whose performance could be a determining factor when it comes to their role for next season -- and help color how David Stearns and the front office approach the offseason.
Steph Curry never wanted to be drafted by the Warriors. His eyes were set on being selected one pick later, with the chance of playing his career in a New York Knicks jersey at Madison Square Garden.
Four NBA championships and a Hall of Fame career created in a Warriors jersey later, Curry wouldn’t change a thing. As he closes in on nearly two decades with Golden State, Curry has maintained his hope and goal of spending his entire playing career playing for one franchise.
He wants to be the Warriors’ Tim Duncan. Their Dirk Nowitzki, their Kobe Bryant. An icon that didn’t wear a rainbow of jerseys, but just different versions for the same team. Nothing in that department has changed, according to Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy, and Curry hasn’t indicated that will change in the future.
“Not to me. No, he hasn’t,” Dunleavy said Tuesday in a video press conference with local media. “That’s always been the message. That’s always been sort of what we have discussed, and I think that’s tracking quite well. Obviously he’s eligible for an extension coming up at the end of the month and we’ll talk through all that stuff and can’t speak on it much right now, but I’m pretty confident Steph will finish his career here.”
Curry, 38, is eligible for a two-year contract extension worth more than $136 million starting Aug. 29.
When the Warriors’ 2025-26 season ended in Phoenix with a loss to the Suns in the NBA play-in tournament, Curry said he’s open to an extension and wants to play multiple more years. He made the Warriors wait a bit the last time he was extension eligible, and ultimately signed a one-year extension instead of the two years he could have added.
The Warriors expect Curry to sign some form of a contract extension this offseason as opposed to entering next summer as an unrestricted free agent. They also expect him to be a Warrior until he retires but know he’s the one in control of that ultimate decision.
“It’s his call, his decision,” Dunleavy said. “Whether that’s allowing his contract to run out and move on – look, if he comes to me and wants to be moved, [Warriors owner Joe Lacob] and I will talk it through. We wouldn’t love it, but he’s earned the right if he wants to do those things.
“But as far as the messaging or any idea that he would be anywhere else, that’s not a thing we’re looking at or he’s looking at.”
Rumors have run rampant on social media that Curry one day could want out. Those are nothing more than speculation clicks in the quiet period of the summer. The reasons those uninformed voices have been loud regarding Curry’s future are because of the Warriors’ lack of improvements in NBA free agency and the trade market while the rest of the league saw major shifts.
Aside from drafting Yaxel Lendeborg in the first round and Lajae Jones in the second, the Warriors, up to this point, have not brought in any outside additions to the roster after winning 37 games last season as the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. Missing out in their pursuit of LeBron James, the Warriors brought back Draymond Green, Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II.
This is the same offseason where James joined the Philadelphia 76ers weeks after they acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics, Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded to the Miami Heat and LaMelo Ball was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Superstars always are on the move in the modern NBA.
The Warriors aren’t worried their biggest superstar ever will join that trend, and aren’t sweating the upcoming date for Curry’s contract extension.
“I think there’s two things I’m confident about Steph: He really, really wants to win, and he wants to finish his career as a Warrior,” Dunleavy said. “I don’t think that changes tomorrow, August 29th, the start of the season, middle of the season or the end of next season. I think those things are going to be consistent.”
Curry averaged 26.6 points per game in 43 games last season, shooting 39.3 percent on 11.3 3-point attempts per game. He missed 39 games to injury, including two months to runner’s knee.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 8: Angel Genao #17 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates a home run against the Chicago White Sox in the seventh inning at Rate Field on August 8, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Will this be the parting point for the Guardians and Tigers in 2026’s MLB standings?
The Guardians are 58-61 with a -27 run differential, 23rd in wRC+ at 94, sixth in baserunning runs above average at +5.4, tenth in Defense at -7, seventh in starting pitcher ERA at 3.73 (3.93 FIP) and 16th in bullpen ERA at 4.01 (3.91 FIP).
The Tigers are 58-60 with a +87 run differential (the best run differential in the AL!), seventh in wRC+ at 105, 26th in baserunning runs above average at -5, 25th in Defense at -31.8, first in starting pitcher ERA (numbers reflecting the now absent Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, however) at 3.31 ERA (3.57 FIP) and ninth in bullpen ERA at 3.75 (4.06 FIP).
Put the ball in play, get to the starters and pitch better in relief and the Guardians can win this series.
Matchups: Tuesday, 6:40PM ET: Bibee, RHP 3.85 ERA (4.58 FIP) vs. Anderson, RHP 0.82 ERA (2.09 FIP) – Anderson averages under 4 innings an outing. Wednesday, 6:40PM ET: Griffin, LHP 3.31 ERA (4.21 FIP) vs. Valdez, LHP 4.17 ERA (4.04 FIP) Thursday, 1:10PM ET: Messick, LHP 2.87 ERA (3.19 FIP) vs. Montero, RHP 3.50 ERA (4.14 FIP)
The Tigers are led by Max Clark 145 wRC+, Dillon Dingler 139 wRC+, Kevin McGonigle 135 wRC+, Riley Green 129 wRC+, Gleyber Torres 119 wRC+, Spencer Torkelson 107 wRC+ and Colt Keith 107 wRC+.
The Guardians are led by Angel Genao 175 wRC+, Nathaniel Lowe 135 wRC+, Chase DeLauter 124 wRC+, Travis Bazzana 107 wRC+, Austin Hedges 106 wRC+, Steven Kwan 104 wRC+ and Jose Ramirez 103 wRC+.
This is now the biggest series of the year. It would be great to see the Guardians play their best baseball.
Sep 23, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks speaks at Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Brian Lewis on Tuesday examines the slow pace of the Nets rebuild which as of this past weekend has been underway in some form or another for three and half years since Kevin Durant became the final piece of the Big Three to be traded back on February 9, 2023.
As Lewis writes, there’s no hope of anything dramatic happening his coming season, which will begin October 21 somewhere in North America, the details of which will be made known on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET.
After going 20-62 last season (with a preseason over/under win total of 19.5), the Nets are tabbed to be one of the league’s worst teams again. They’re listed with the second-lowest wins over/under by FanDuel and BetMGM at 24.5.
Jordi Fernandez may think his charges can produce more wins than anyone inside or outside the organization, but other than the head coach, the consensus is the Nets will, um, struggle … for the want of a better word than another that also begins with “S.”
Lewis enumerates all the issues the Nets have as they prepare for Thursday’s announcements, Media Day questions and training camp: Is Julius Randle as short-term hire bound for a contender? Will the Nets extend Michael Porter Jr., or trade him for even more assets? How will they handle the team’s “extreme youth” — with nine players 22 years old or younger on the roster? Not to mention how the East is now a mad house, with the defending NBA champions across the river, big new faces in Philadelphia, Toronto and Miami and an old one returning in Indiana, etc., etc.
The answer to the first question is apparently no. Jake Fischer said late Tuesday that an extension is “unlikely.”
Jake Fischer says he’s “not expecting an extension for Michael Porter Jr.” No details on whether he’s talking about today’s semi-deadline or long term. Nets have until next July to extend him. MPJ’s agent has said Porter will have “to chart his own course.” https://t.co/rkysB9PtAc
The Nets are under no pressure. They have all season to extend him if they want to. He’s under contract through the end of this season and can extend him at any point. His agent, Mark Bartelstein has said that while Porter is happy with Brooklyn, he will have have to “chart his own course” depending on what Marks & co. do.
Lewis also delves into his analytic bag and finds some hope for the most patient of what has been a generally patient fanbase. Specifically, he looks at what other organic, pick-heavy rebuilds have produced, history offering hope.
With eight rookies on the Nets’ roster last season — including a record five first-round picks — they played those first-year pros a league-high 6,716 minutes. The Hornets were the next-closest at 6,241. (Editor’s note: It was not, despite comments by Marks and Fernandez the most minutes in the NBA ever.)
Over the past decade, only four other teams had as many minutes played by rookies: the 2017-18 Kings, 2021-22 Thunder, 2023-24 Trail Blazers and 2024-25 Wizards. And like last season’s Nets, that entire quartet was horrid, struggling to a combined .274 winning percentage or 22.5 win pace. But their lessons paid off.
The next year, those same four teams improved to a .402 percentage, or 33 wins, even with that average dragged down by the Wizards having tanked again this past season to get the top overall pick.
Those teams’ quantum leaps to contention came in Year 2 after the investment in rookie playing time. The first three examples vaulted to an average .528 win percentage, or 43-win pace. The Wizards are expected to improve in their Year 2 with Dybantsa, Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
A couple of those teams — the aforementioned Wizards and the Trail Blazers — are still works in progress but the Thunder of course remains the model. Get smart, get young, get lucky … as OKC did with Shai Gilegous-Alexander.
Marks and Joe Tsai continue to be in lock-step on the plan to use flexibility (which Lewis notes flexibility “is like air for the GM.”) He quotes Marks most recent comment on its value when opportunity arises.
“You just never know what’s going to come your way. So for us to have that optionality is going to be really important. But at the same time, I like the roster we have. I love seeing what I’m seeing out there. The guys are guys are playing hard, they’re playing the right way and they’re playing for each other. So I don’t think we’re in any immediate rush to do anything there, from adding more pieces.”
And of course they didn’t. They don’t seem to be interested in Peyton Watson, didn’t make any real effort to deal for Jaylen Brown — and one report noted he was not interested in them, preferring a contender; seemingly felt that Giannis Antetokounmpo was getting older (32 in a few months) but not cheaper; Austin Reaves was never leaving LA. and they didn’t want to pay the Pelicans an exorbitant three first rounders for Trey Murphy III.
Remember what Marks said back on Media Day last September that the Nets wouldn’t be making big moves unless the player “automatically and absolutely” changed the franchise’s projection. No more spending to get the fifth or sixth seed.
We will probably know more soon about how at least in the short run what the Nets are thinking. The end of business Tuesday is sort of a deadline for MPJ’s future. If they sign him to a extension of more than two years and a five percent raise, he can’t be traded this season, limiting their options.
They also have to decide by October 19 whether to sign Noah Clowney to a rookie-scale extension or let him become a restricted free agent next July. Twelve days after that, they have to decide whether to guarantee a third year for last year’s rookie class — Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf. Terance Mann is also eligible for an extension October 1.
Of course, they haven’t started to play games yet and everyone, fans to management to ownership — was thrilled by what they saw in Summer League from Demin and Mikel Brown Jr., who are the team’s first top 10 lottery picks taken in back-to-back drafts since 1995 and 1996 when they took Ed O’Bannon and Kerry Kittles. There’s enthusiasm as well about Day’Ron Sharpe getting his big chance, etc. Then, there’s all those draft assets and cap space and Tsai’s willingness to spend when it feels right.
Anyone who listened closely to Sean Marks or watched what he’s done or didn’t do over the past two years should’ve been prepared for all this to some extent. Being happy with it is a whole other conversation, one which goes on and on.
“Anytime you’re in a hurry, that’s when people make mistakes,” Marks said when asked about Porter, which Lewis notes can apply to their entire plan. “We’ve got a well thought-out plan here over not only the last couple of years, but the couple of years ahead. We’re going to try and find who the next Nets are going to be. I don’t think we want to do anything hastily or in a rush here.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 21: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a jump shot against Gary Payton II #0 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter of the game at Crypto.com Arena on October 21, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country.
With the Lakers completely overhauling their roster this summer, it’s made predicting just how good they’ll be difficult. Most of last year’s rotation is gone, and it’s not fringe players that only played a shift or two. It’s starters like LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart.
Are the new players like Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Walker Kessler upgrades and a better fit around Luka?
Last season, the Lakers won 53 games. Can they repeat that success, or will these changes and adjusting to so many new pieces mean growing pains and additional losses?
For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we’re keeping it simple and asking if the Lakers will win at least 45 games.
Whether your take is positive or negative about the 2026-27 Lakers, the one thing I do know is that you don’t have enough data to support it.
We don’t know how good the Austin Reaves, Luka, Kessler three-man rotation is going to be. We haven’t seen Mamu as Kessler’s backup big, or as the four next to him. Collin Sexton running the backup unit? We haven’t seen that either.
So, any take one has is fair until we can actually see some of these players together and get a better understanding of their fit.
However, experts consistently predict the Lakers will win far fewer games than they actually do.
Yes, there are a ton of roster changes, but Luka is their top player, which fixes a lot of things. During his career, Dončić has only had two seasons where his team didn’t have a winning year.
As long as he’s healthy, Luka is a shoo-in for All-NBA First Team, and the Lakers should easily reach 45 wins. During JJ Redick’s time as head coach, LA has won at least 50 games each season, even with massive roster changes.
Also, let’s not forget Reaves. He is Luka’s running mate and every year he has gotten better as a player. If he makes another jump this season, he’ll be an All-Star.
The only issue here is that health is never guaranteed. Luka played in 64 games last season and had a slew of injuries, including a hamstring strain that ended his year early. Reaves also missed a ton of contests, playing in just 51 games.
So with LeBron no longer here to carry an extra load when necessary, perhaps LA can’t win as much when Luka misses time. The Lakers went 10-8 in games Dončić missed last season.
With a lower ceiling, maybe voting for under 45 wins is an indication of one’s skepticism on Luka being healthy and the Lakers figuring out how to optimize all these new pieces.
So, if you trust Luka to be available and perform like he usually does, vote for 44-plus wins. But if you are worried about LA’s overhaul and Luka’s availability, then select under 44 victories. And as always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
I recently wrote an article for the main page of The Hockey News in which I looked at all seven Canadian teams and ranked them by who had the best chance to bring a Stanley Cup back home to Canada. Call it bias or a logical argument that the Edmonton Oilers still have the best shot; several fans called me out for ranking Edmonton at the top, followed closely by the Montreal Canadiens.
Most seemed to agree it was a two-horse race, but did I get the order backward?
In the piece I wrote the following about the Canadiens:
Montreal could certainly be the top Canadian team this season. They’ve done almost everything right, and their run in 2025-26 has them pegged as a team of the future. They went from a rebuilding team just a few years ago to the NHL's youngest conference finalist in 33 years.
-
I noted that the pieces they have under team-friendly contracts are impressive. Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Ivan Demidov make them a team to contend with. Jakub Dobes had a breakout season as well.
Here is what I said about the Oilers:
Even though they took a step backward in 2025-26, no Canadian team is closer to the mountaintop than the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers still have two of the best players in the world. They’ve got an excellent scoring defenseman, some solid depth, and they made changes this summer that should improve the team.
-
I did suggest that Mike Babcock as their new head coach was a wildcard added to their season.
Did I Get It Wrong?
Several of the comments suggested I wasn't giving Montreal enough credit for how good they are, while also overvaluing an Oilers team who got knocked out in the first round and is now one year older.
Comments included: "...the Canadiens are closer to Cup contention than the fading Oilers. Montreal is more balanced team in offense (Habs can at least count on two lines not two players) and Montreal at least has better defense. Montreal goaltending is above average for now but for Edmonton its a liability."
Another wrote, "Edmonton ahead of Montreal is a definite head-scratcher, as Montreal is an ascending team and the Oilers went the other direction. The Oilers still have McDavid and Draisaitl, but what major move was made to move the needle ?"
Another added, "No disrespect to the Oilers, but their window is closing fast. Habs were a top team in the toughest division and went further against other favored top teams. Oilers had a mid season in a mid division and got bounced first round. None of this was a fluke."
There were some other comments in there not worth addressing, but the point was clear.
There are many who think the Canadiens are progressing to the point where they're the better Canadian team and the Oilers are still good, but not the best.
After considering the takes and revisiting my ranking, I'm still bullish on the idea that the Oilers sit atop the list of Canadian teams. I'll admit it's close, but there are a few reasons I think this.
First, injuries were a huge factor for the Oilers during the 2025-26 playoffs. It's going to sound like an excuse, but Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and others weren't 100 percent. McDavid was particularly affected by an issue early in the series with Anaheim and had these players been healthy, it's hard to know where the Oilers would have finished.
Second, the series between Carolina and Montreal opened my eyes a bit regarding how far the Canadiens might still need to go. That series was as lopsided as a series can be, with Montreal failing to pivot when that play shifted. One of the more elite offensive teams couldn't score, and they were badly outshot. The Hurricanes were relentless and eventually won the Stanley Cup, but it was a bit of a wake-up call for the Canadiens.
Third, there's a different mentality for the Oilers and Canadiens that shouldn't be overlooked. Frankly, it's a sense of desperation on the part of the Oilers that might be the difference-maker this season.
Fans argued that Edmonton's window is closing. I don't totally agree, but I will admit that the core is getting older. What matters is how motivated that core is because they've tried everything, gotten so close, and they know that there's only so much time left with this particular group. They've already lost Darnell Nurse. They don't want to lose anyone else before they win it all. Because of this desperation, they went out on a limb and hired Babcock. There's no more coasting through the regular season for this team.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens have years to be good, and while they're driven, they may not be driven in the same way the Oilers are.
To me, the two teams are close. The Canadiens are excellent and only getting better. The Oilers are still good, and I believe they got better during the summer. Last season was a blip that they're planning to rectify.
Will the win the Stanley Cup? It's going to be a tough challenge. But, are they Canada's best shot at it? I believe they are, even if only by a slim margin.
Twenty-five days before its first game, Northwestern’s 2026 football season is off to a fine start.
The university has received a three-year, $35 million commitment from the Uihlein family to "support the continued growth and success of its football program," the school announced on Tuesday, August 11.
According to a release, the funding will be used for athlete development, operational priorities, recruiting and strategic investments "designed to position Northwestern Football for sustained success in the Big Ten and on the national stage."
"We are deeply grateful to the Uihlein family for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to Northwestern University," Northwestern athletic director Mark Jackson said in a statement. "Their support will help us continue building a program that delivers an exceptional student-athlete experience while competing at the highest level of college football."
The donation from Liz and Dick Uihlein comes as the Wildcats are preparing to play their first season in Ryan Field after an $862 million, privately funded renovation that shrunk capacity, and completely overhauled and modernized the aging venue.
The Uihleins are the billionaire owners of Uline, a business supply company, and are heirs to the Schlitz Brewing Company fortune. The couple lives in the Chicago area.
Northwestern is entering its fourth season under coach David Braun, who has led the program to bowl games in two of his first three seasons after taking over for Pat Fitzgerald in 2023. Last season, the Wildcats went 7-6 and won the GameAbove Sports Bowl.
In the years since college sports have been dramatically reshaped by NIL and the transfer portal, Northwestern has struggled at times, going 23-39 overall and 13-32 in the Big Ten since 2021. The donation it received should help in its efforts to stay financially competitive in the Big Ten, a league in which it has by far the smallest undergraduate enrollment.
"We are so grateful for Pat and Shirley Ryan’s contributions to Northwestern and Chicago and want to follow their lead. Northwestern is one of the nation's premier institutions, developing future leaders through its world-class academic programs, including the Kellogg School of Management," Liz and Dick Uihlein said in a statement. "As multigenerational Chicagoans, we love this city and want to see it thrive. To us, Northwestern University is Chicago. Chicago loves sports and we need Wildcat Football to be competitive. We are pleased to support the university as it enters an exciting new era."
